Electrified vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), or fuel cell vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles in that they are powered by electric machines (i.e., electric motors and/or generators) instead of or in addition to an internal combustion engine. High voltage (HV) current for powering these types of electric machines is typically supplied by a high voltage traction battery system.
Electrified vehicle battery systems may employ one or more battery modules that include a plurality of battery arrays. Each battery array includes a plurality of battery cells that are supported relative to one another and are interconnected electrically between battery cell terminals and interconnector bus bars. The packaging of these battery arrays may benefit from structural energy management to maintain the integrity of the battery cells.
In order to maximize the vehicle's effective driving range, it is desirable to increase the number of battery cells the vehicle carries. The battery cells are typically separated into modules and installed in a location within the vehicle. Existing storage locations for batteries include the fuel tank zone, tunnel area (or underbody), underneath the seats, or in the trunk area. In addition, the packaging of battery modules can require particular attention with respect to impact energy management and mitigation.
Existing vehicle battery systems include connections modules to connect battery modules to various controllers. Such connection modules typically increase the size of the battery system.